A former Minnesota Twins pitcher has been arrested in Las Vegas in connection with a two year old murder investigation.
Danny Serafini, who was a first-round pick for the Twins back in 1992 and played for the team until 1998, was arrested in Nevada after investigators gathered enough evidence to believe he committed the murder of Robert Spohr and attempted to murder his wife Wendy.
Serafini is alleged to have committed the murder back in 2021, with Robert dying of a gunshot wound at the scene of the crime. Wendy died 10 months later after committing suicide due to the lasting effects of her injuries suffered in the attack.
Robert and Wendy were the parents of Serafini's ex-wife Erin Spohr.
Ex-Twins pitcher arrested in connection to 2021 murder
On Friday, the Placer County Sherriff's office released a statement announcing the arrest of Serafini and his connection to the 2021 murder.
“Today, justice was served," the Placer County sheriff's office said in a statement. "The apprehension of those responsible for the tragic events that unfolded in Homewood, North Lake Tahoe in 2021 stands as a testament to the unwavering dedication of our detectives, law enforcement partners, and the persistence of our pursuit of truth. Understand that my team’s commitment to unraveling the most complex of cases prevails, and those who inflict harm upon our community will be held accountable every time."
The alleged homicide took place on June 5, 2021, on the California side of Lake Tahoe. Investigators have been piecing together a case for two years, and finally moved to arrest Serafini this past week.
Serafini spent seven years with the Twins during the 1990s, originally coming to the team as the 26th pick of the 1992 MLB Draft. Officially he spent three seasons with the Twins, as he was called up during the 1996 season and pitched for Minnesota until 1998.
After the Chicago Cubs purchased his contract in 1999, Serafini bounced around the league until 2007 when he was suspended 50 games for testing positive for PEDs. That stint with the Colorado Rockies was the last time he pitched at the Major League level.
A 33-year old woman was also arrested with Serafini, although her identity has not yet been revealed.